My first experience with #NetGallery, and I must admit it was rather promising.

       Taking place in an Asian-like setting I thoroughly enjoyed, Ibuki explores the relationship between priestesses Chiasa and Namika, brought together once the latter discovers a secret that threatens Chiasa's life.

      Prose written beautifully and aesthetic that made my toes curl, I am feeling a bit bittersweet, for I found the short story to be... well... too short(!) to the point it sometimes felt fragmentary. It might not be the same for everyone, but in my opinion everything happens way too fast and the attraction between the protagonists, depicted surely sensually (the sexually tensed scenes were colored with undeniable finesse), in my eyes lacks in depth and feels unrealistic. 

      The pace gives the characters an aloof feel (I would have loved to know them better) and they sometimes feel erratic -especially at first. I failed to symphatize  with their conflict, since, with hardly any background at all I could only imagine what was at stake (e.g. !A BIT SPOILERY! Chiasa and her father).

     That said, I believe storywise it has a lot of potential. I would be very interested in reading the same story again, a bit better developed, or even be introduced to a different tale set into that world.

This was a short read that turned out to be very enjoyable. I really liked the setting and the world, and the characters were well written. Since this is a novella, the pacing is quite fast, but I didn't mind that at all.

Definitely recommending this if you're looking for a quick, fun read with some suspense and romance.

Real rating: 3.5 stars

This was a nice, light read. There’s really not much to say about it since it is so short, but I thought the plot was interesting and the romance was very hot also good. I think, if she wanted to, Sommerlot could flesh this out into a really good full-length novel.

This was a nice little well-rounded fantasy romance. 

The story kept at a good pace and we weren’t left hanging on any one thing for too long.  

The characters were likable and strong and there was enough of a build between the women, to make the sexy times work for me…this is a fairly short story so we’re not talking a ton, but it was enough to satisfy my preferences to have some interactions beforehand.

The setting- glimpses of the world, and magic, were so interesting that I can’t deny wishing for a bit more on that front but as a novella this had a good balance. These little hints of this world, were also what caught my attention in the summary and was my main reason for choosing this story.

I think my only pause in the story was Chiasa’s doubts of her father over a stranger’s word. Especially when the few interactions we see of them afterwards, make it seem like they have a very good relationship and he comes across quite caring. It’s a small thing though, and not enough to ruin my enjoyment in an otherwise very good story.

I will be looking for more by this author.

The description in this book is really excellent, it’s great to be able to read books about a completely different culture, it’s very refreshing. 
The plot is detailed and engaging, the characters are mostly likeable, and little details like the glossary at the end really tie everything together, showing the significance of the characters names in Japanese. 
Relatively short book, but enjoyable. There are a few scenes that are a lot less PG than others, so wouldn’t recommend for younger readers/people that read in public!

Like her father before her, Chiasa is gifted with ibuki, the ability to heal with her breath. Her quiet life at their shrine is upended by an early morning visit from a water priestess. Namika comes bearing grave news: Chiasa's life is threatened by the emperor himself, who has been murdering ibuki priests to gain immortality. Uncertain whom to trust, the young women find themselves drawn together, their clandestine meetings to share intelligence quickly shifting into something else entirely. An enjoyable novella, with just enough world-building to support Chiasa's whirlwind emotional journey.

Novella warning! Also no chapters, but I didn't notice it. Normally I find books with no chapters feel slower paced, which I think is typically on purpose, but this was fast paced and tightly plotted. There is a suspense that the plot revolves around and the tight plotting and quick pace really made the book feel claustrophobic in the way a good suspense novel should. It is still a romance, though, so don't worry it still has an HEA

Book received from Netgalley for an honest review

I chose to read this book because I liked the cover and even though the blurb seemed okay I thought it would be nice to read something a little out of my current comfort zone. It was a lucky choice I really enjoyed it. 

In the Inuru community Chiasa is a part of  the Ibuki shrine and is able to heal by using her breath. One day Namika, a water-gifted priestess, comes to the Ibuki shrine to tell of a dark secret she has discovered about their emperor. Chiasa is the only one there and she is very reluctant to believe it.

I can’t say much more about the story line without spoiler alerts because it was a short read but it was a well-rounded one. There’s the tension of the dark secret and the danger it puts them in. I found both Chiasa and Namika to be engaging characters and there are some beautifully erotic scenes as well as moments of angst. Because this book has been tagged in the fantasy genre I had the added fear of not knowing how it was going to end.